infantilize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to keep in or reduce to an infantile state.
-
to treat or regard as infantile or immature.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of infantilize
1940–45; infantile + -ize, or by back formation from infantilization
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Public policy shouldn’t infantilize people simply because minors might misuse a product.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025
Burnett never insists that they’re the sane ones, nor does he infantilize Fish and Poinsettia’s afflictions.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025
We are seeing adult women who aggressively reject society's efforts to infantilize them.
From Salon • Jan. 3, 2024
Like Martha in “Poms,” she has cancer, but the fact of Frankie’s illness doesn’t infantilize her.
From New York Times • Dec. 26, 2019
I don’t want to infantilize my own mother, but seeing her struggle with this and asking questions like “Why would my dad do this?” are hard for me to react to.
From Slate • Oct. 25, 2018
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
